Dividing strip



Aug. 4, 1931. w, R5; 1,817,309

- DIVIDING STRIP Filed Jan. 24, 1 930 T L m INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 ROBERT W. HARDIE, OF FANWOOD; NEW JERSEY mvrmneSTRIP Application filed January 24, 1930.

This invention relates to means for dividing terrazzo floorings intosections, and has for its main objects to provide a dividing strip ofthe class described, that is simple in construction, effective inoperation, and durable in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for locking thedividing strip securely in a flooring to prevent vertical dis placementthereof and also to prevent lateral displacement of the strip when acrack occurs in a flooring.

One of the main objects of the present invention, is to provide adividing strip that is adapted to enable two adjacent sections of anunderbed to be joined together at intervals.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished by themeans hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate correspondingparts throughout the several views.

It is to be understood, however, that changes, modifications andalterations may be made therein without departing from the invention.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention in its preferred form,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a dividing strip embodying one form of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the strip shown in Fig. 1taken on the line 22.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the underbed and top layer ofa terrazzo flooring showing a dividing strip embodying the inventionembedded therein.

The strips shown in the drawings are made of non corrosive metal, andare provided with parallel outer edges, and with two series of anchorsegments 3, one series being arranged above, and the other series belowthe central longitudinal line of the strip as shown the drawings.

Serial No. 423,202.

The segments 3 are inclined relative to the face of the strip, andextend inwardly thereof from bases extending longitudinally between thecentral longitudinal line and the outer edges of the strip.

As shown in the drawings, the anchor segments are provided with lateraledges extending in converging relation to each other, but the shape andlength of the segments, may be modified without departing from theinventi'on.

The segments 3, of the upper and the lower series, are shown in thedrawings as arranged in separated groups, each group containing aplurality of segments.

lVhile that construction may be sometimes preferred as a matter ofconvenience in making and laying the strip in aflooring, that is not acontrolling feature of the invention, and the segments of each seriesmay be grouped or separated as desired.

When it is desired to connect adjacent sections of a flooring together,openings 2 may be made in the strip, preferably along the centrallongitudinal line so as to extend above and below that line asshown inFig. 3, wherein the lower part of the top layer, and the upper part ofthe underbed of adjacent sec tions of a flooring are shown connected together at the openings.

By means of the construction shown and described the strip is reversibleso that either longitudinal edge of the strip may be inserted in theunderbed.

hen the strip is inserted in the underbed the series of segments belowthe central longitudinal line being inclined outwardly from the body ofthe strip come in contact with the edge of the top surface of anadjacent section of the underbed, and as the downward movement of thestrip is continued the segments break down the material in its path andleave a well defined cavity above them, and between the inner face ofthe segments and the plane of the body of the strip,-

The material forming the top layer, composed of crushed pieces of marblemixed with cement and water, is applied to the underbed in a semi-liquidcondition and flows into the cavities made in the underbed by thedownward movement of the anchor segments, and when hardened formdownwardly extending tongues of terrazzo material on the inner side ofthe anchor segments that hold the anchor se ments firmly and laterallyagainst the adjacent sections of the underbed that contain the anchorsegments, and permit the reverse side of the strip to separate from itsadjacent sectionswhen a crack occurs in a flooring,

separate from the sections as shown in Fig. 3. v 7

By means of the construction illustrated and described, the segments 3on the upper half of the strip clinch the upper half of the strip to thesection of the top layer adjacent said segments and the segments 3 onthe lower half of the strip clinch the lower half of the strip to thesection of the underbed adjacent said segments, thereby not onlypreventing any vertical displace ment of the strip in the flooring, butalso forming a double locking connection between the strip and thesection of a flooring and leaving the opposite side of the strip free toof the flooring adjacent thereto.

As a result, the strip is held in a straight ornormal position even whena crack occurs in a flooring along the strip, and the strip does notassume a crooked line with the crack partly on one side and partly onthe other side of the strip.

' l/Vhat I claim is:

1. A dividing strip of the class described, having longitudinal outeredges, and oppositely disposed anchor segments pressed out from the bodyof the strip, and located nespectively between the central longitudinalline and one of the longitudinal edges of the strip, with free endsinclined inwardly relative to the side of the strip and forming openingsin the strip each of which extends above and below the central linethereof between oppositely disposed segments.

2. A dividing strip of the class described having longitudinal outeredges, and op-' positely disposed groups of anchor segments 7 pressedout from the body of the strip, with tle respective groups locatedbetween the central longitudinal line and one of the longitudinal edgesof the strip, the segments of the respectivefgroups having free ends inclinedinwardly relative to the side of the strip, and forming openingsin the strip each of which extends above and below the central linethereof, between oppositely disposed groups of segments.

3. Incombination with the underbed and the top layer of a terrazzoflooring, a dividing from the body of the strip, and locatedrespectively between the central longitudinal line and one of thelongitudinal edges of the strip, with free ends inclined inwardlyrelative to the side of the strip, and forming openings in the stripeach of which extends above and below the central line thereof betweenoppositely disposed segments, and with the segments on one side of thecentral longitudinal line of the strip embedded in the top layer and thesegments on the other side of the central line embedded in the underbed.

ROBERT W. HARDIE.

